1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to sampling and more particularly to aerosol sampling.
2. State of Technology
U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,187 issued Feb. 10, 2004 to Donald A. Masquelier for “An Aerosol Sampling System” provides the following state of technology information, “As the threat of biological weapons (BW) increases, both in military theaters and civilian populations, the need for complete systems for the rapid detection and analysis of pathogenic organisms becomes increasingly important.”
United States Patent Application No. 2002/0045246 to William A. McMillan et al and assigned to Cepheid for a “Device for Lysing Cells, Spores, or Microorganisms” published Apr. 18, 2002 provides the following state of technology information, “Abstract: A device for use with an ultrasonic transducer to lyse components of a fluid sample comprises a cartridge having a lysing chamber, an inlet port in fluid communication with the lysing chamber, and an outlet port for exit of the sample from the lysing chamber. The inlet and outlet ports are positioned to permit flow of the sample through the lysing chamber, and the chamber contains at least one solid phase for capturing the sample components to be lysed as the sample flows through the chamber. The lysing chamber is defined by at least one wall having an external surface for contacting the transducer to effect the transfer of ultrasonic energy to the chamber.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,034 issued Feb. 18, 2005 to Donald A. Masquelier et al for a “High Air Volume to Low Liquid Volume Aerosol Collector” provides the following state of technology information, “The first step in any system for detection and characterization of biological agents is a sample collector. This can take on the simple form of a cotton swab for solid surfaces, or as in the case of airborne pathogens, an aerosol sample collector is used to collect and concentrate airborne particulate into a liquid sample volume for subsequent preparation and analysis. An aerosol sampler is the most appropriate for continuous monitoring scenarios, where repeated swabbing of settled particles is impractical. Most commercial samplers now available for field use are large, power consuming, and produce collected sample into large volumes of liquid, typically >10 mL. Emerging miniature detection systems analyze much smaller sample volumes, typically <250 μL. When using the presently available air samplers, the sample volume must be ‘sub-sampled,’ effectively diluting the sample, resulting in a loss of sensitivity of detection. Thus, there is a need for a collector which will collect particulate at a high airflow and yet utilize a low liquid volume.”